Here in the UK, your child will receive a number of vaccinations for illnesses and diseases as they grow up – most of which will happen in their very frst year of life. Here's the latest information regarding their immunisation schedule.

As a new mum, you'll feel like your bundle of joy has only just arrived in the world when you get that very first letter inviting her to her first immunisation appointment with the nurse. Sob!

But while you can expect tears – from you as well as your little one – it's worth reminding yourself how lucky we are to have an immunisation schedule that protects from some truly horrible illnesses and diseases.

Here's what to expect and know about your baby's jabs over the coming weeks, months and years ...

Why immunise?

It's quite simple really - an immunised child is protected from lots of dangerous diseases and will prevent illnesses from being passed around. Research has shown that effective immunisation programmes can also help to eradicate diseases: smallpox was eliminated worldwide by 1979 which meant vaccinations against it could finally be stopped.

If immunisation levels fall, diseases have a tendency to rear their ugly head again (the MMR scare resulted in a drop in immunisation levels and new outbreaks of measles).

It means that as the diseases become more widespread, children who have not been vaccinated AND children who have are all more likely to catch the disease. These diseases are all dangerous, and can leave a child disabled.

As a parent, do I have a choice?

The law does not require us to immunise our children, therefore the choice rests with us. If you are unsure about immunisation, it is important to get advice from your GP and gather as much information as possible on the vaccines so you can make an informed decision.

In July 2018, the government has announced that boys will also be eligible for the HPV vaccine in England, Wales and Scotland. The roll-out date is expected to be 2019/20 but is still to be confirmed.

14 years

3-in-1 teenage booster, given as a single jab and contains vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus and polio
Men ACWY vaccine, given as a single jab and contains vaccines against meningitis A, C, W and Y

Source: NHS

Why is chickenpox not included in the immunisation schedule?

Although chickenpox vaccinations are part of the routine immunisation schedule in the United States and Germany, the UK's immunisation body has decided against universal vaccination of children. This is due to the cost as well as fears that it could increase shingles among adults.

This is how the NHS explains the decision:

'If a childhood chickenpox vaccination programme was introduced, people would not catch chickenpox as children because the infection would no longer circulate in areas where the majority of children had been vaccinated.
This would leave unvaccinated children susceptible to contracting chickenpox as adults, when they are more likely to develop a more severe infection or a secondary complication, or in pregnancy, when there is a risk of the infection harming the baby.
We could also see a significant increase in cases of shingles in adults. Being exposed to chickenpox as an adult – for example, through contact with infected children – boosts your immunity to shingles.
If you vaccinate children against chickenpox, you lose this natural boosting, so immunity in adults will drop and more shingles cases will occur.'

The NHS only offers the chickenpox vaccine to children and adults who are particularly vulnerable to complications of the illness, such as those with a weakened immune system.

It is also given to those in contact with people at risk, for example the brothers and sisters of a child with leukaemia or a child whose parent is undergoing chemotherapy.

If you want to get your child vaccinated, you can get it done privately. This has to be done over the age of 12 months and is likely to cost around £65 per dose (for a two-dose course). It is very safe and is 98% effective in children.

Why does my baby need vaccinations at such a young age?

Babies are provided with a certain amount of immunity against disease whilst in the womb, but this starts to wear off once they arrive in the big wide world.

The immunisation programme has been designed with this in mind so they are provided with the greatest amount of protection when they need it most.

The first round of vaccinations begin at eight weeks old and studies have shown that babies of this age are less likely to have an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

How does immunisation work?

The vaccine your child will be given contains very small parts of the bacteria or virus that cause the disease. As soon as they've been immunised, their little bodies will get to work producing antibodies to protect them from the illness and provide immunity. The vaccines are specially prepared to ensure the body does not catch the disease and it's essential for us to follow the advised immunisation programme to ensure our children are protected at the right times.

Do they provide life-long immunity?

In the majority of cases, yes, though vaccines can't always guarantee complete protection. This is often because the body hasn't produced enough antibodies to ward off the disease, though if a child does develop a disease after being vaccinated, it's likely to be relatively mild. Boosters and further immunisations may be needed as our children grow up.

Are there any side effects?

Since your child is being given a tiny does of the virus, they may seem unwell for a short time following immunisation, perhaps with a slight fever/high temperature. Other side effects include:-

sickness and/or diarrhoea

swollen glands

a small lump at the site of the injection, which may last for a few weeks

All of these are completely normal but if you are concerned, your nurse or GP should be able to answer any queries you may have.

When should I not immunise?

There are a few reasons to delay immunisation and your GP will be able to advise on how best to deal with them. If your child is on medication, being treated for cancer or has a weak immune system, your doctor may advise waiting. Additionally, if your child is unwell with a high fever or virus, you may be advised to delay it for a while.

You will be asked whether your child has allergies and if they do, this might be a reason to change how things are done.

How can I be sure vaccinations are safe?

There has been much debate in recent years about the safety of immunisations but the deciding factor should really be based on medical research, which has shown (in many different medical trials) that immunisation is the most effective way of protecting your child against disease.

MMR has been linked to autism in the past, but hundreds of studies based on millions of cases have since proved there is no evidence to support this theory.

On its website, The National Autistic Society says the following:

'It is clear that there is no link between autism and the MMR vaccine.

We believe that no further attention or research funding should be unnecessarily directed towards examining a link that has already been comprehensively discredited. Instead, we should be focusing our efforts on improving the lives of the 700,000 autistic people in the UK, and their families.'

Another recent concern is the use of thiomersal - a preservative containing mercury which is present in some vaccines.

The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) has confirmed thiomersal carries no danger for children, though it is now being phased out from certain vaccines and is not present in the 5-in-1 DtaP/IPV/Hib vaccine your child has at 2, 3 and 4 months old.

Single vaccination jabs

The NHS does not recommend single measles, mumps or rubella vaccines, as there is no evidence to support their use or to suggest that they are safer than MMR. Having single vaccines could also put your child at risk of catching measles, mumps or rubella in the time between the doses of each of the vaccines.

Some private clinics in the UK offer single vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella, but the NHS does not keep a list of them because clinics that offer these privately are unlicensed, which means there are no checks on their safety and effectiveness.